Turbine rotors comprise circumferentially-disposed turbine blades extending radially from a common annular hub. Each turbine blade has a root portion connected to the hub and an airfoil shaped portion projecting radially outwardly into the gas path. The turbine blades may have shrouds at the tips of the blades opposite to the roots.
Shrouds are material added to the tips of the blades. The shrouds extend in a plane generally perpendicular to that of the airfoil portion. Shrouds reduce tip leakage loss of the airfoil portion of the blade. However, the addition of the shroud increases the centrifugal load which causes higher stresses in the airfoil. In addition, the tangential extension of the airfoil generates a bending stress at the intersection between the airfoil and the shroud.